1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual bearing reel. More specifically, the present invention relates to a dual bearing reel that releases and winds fishing line.
2. Background Information
Lever drag type dual bearing reels that move the spool shaft in the axial direction by a lever shaped drag operation member to brake the spool are generally known as dual bearing reels. This dual bearing reel includes a reel unit having a pair of side plates and side covers, a spool shaft that is supported on the reel unit so as to be movable in the axial direction, a spool that is rotatively supported on the spool shaft, a drag mechanism that brakes the spool, and a rotation transmission mechanism that serves to rotate the spool by rotating a handle.
The spool is movable in the axial direction together with the spool shaft, and has a bobbin for winding fishing line around the outer periphery thereof, and flange portions arranged on both ends of the bobbin which project radially outward. The drag mechanism includes a first brake member arranged on an outer side surface of one flange portion of the spool, a second brake member that can be pressed into contact with the first brake member, and a spool shaft movement mechanism that moves the spool shaft in the axial direction. The second brake member is rotatively supported on the spool shaft, and the rotation from the handle is transmitted to the second brake member via the rotation transmission mechanism. The spool shaft movement mechanism has a lever shaped drag operation member that is pivotably supported on the reel unit, a cap shaped drag adjustment member that is fixedly coupled to one end of the spool shaft, and a cam member that is disposed between the drag operation member and the drag adjustment member and is non-rotatably mounted on the reel unit. Slant cams are formed on the cam member, and by pivoting the drag operation member, the drag operation member will raise the slant cams, and the cam member will press the drag adjustment member to move the spool shaft in one axial direction. Movement to the other axial direction of the spool shaft is effected by the urging force of a spring member that is disposed, for example, between the first brake member and the second brake member.
With this type of dual bearing reel, the drive force due to the rotation of the handle is transmitted to the first brake member of the drag mechanism via the rotation transmission mechanism, and transmitted to the spool by pressing the first brake member and second brake member into contact with each other. With this type of configuration, adjustment of the drag mechanism braking force is carried out by pivoting the drag operation member mounted on one end of the spool shaft. When the drag operation member is pivoted in one direction, the spool shaft will move in one of the axial directions due to the cam member, the spool will come near the drag mechanism, and the first brake member will be pressed into contact with the second brake member. With this type of dual bearing reel, by operating the drag operation member, the drag mechanism braking force will be adjusted, and the first brake member and the second brake member will separate from each other and place the spool in the free rotation state.
A dual bearing reel having this type of drag function is known, in which the diameter of a flange portion to which the first brake member is fixedly attached is larger than that of the flange member on the opposite side, and the diameter of the first brake member is larger than the flange portion on the opposite side (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-9160). With this dual bearing reel, because the first brake member is formed to have a diameter that is larger than the flange portion on the opposite side, the torque applied to the first brake member will become larger. Accordingly, the braking force of the drag can increase.
Because a dual bearing reel having the aforementioned conventional drag mechanism is formed such that the first brake member has a diameter that is larger than that of the flange portion on the opposite side, the braking force of the drag can be increased. However, when the flange portion to which the first brake member is attached, in order to form the first brake member with a large diameter, is formed to have a diameter larger than that of the flange portion on the opposite side, fishing line may be wound onto the bobbin up to a position on the flange portion to which the first brake member is attached that reaches beyond the flange portion on the opposite side. When a large amount of fishing line is wound onto the bobbin on the flange portion side to which the first brake member is attached in this way, the wind up torque applied to the spool may increase, and the smooth rotation of the spool during wind-up may be compromised.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved dual bearing reel that overcomes the problems of the conventional art. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.